A Manchester United squad, including Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho, was scheduled to arrive in Malaysia on Monday for a post-season friendly—less than 24 hours after concluding what has been described as the club’s worst season since 1974.
United ended their dismal Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win over 10-man Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday. Despite the victory, new manager Ruben Amorim faces a major rebuilding task this summer as he looks to restore the prestige of one of the world’s most iconic football clubs.
Following the match, Amorim issued an apology to fans, describing the season as a “disaster.” United finished 15th in the Premier League and were narrowly defeated 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur in last week’s Europa League final.
Just hours after their final home game, a 32-man squad boarded a red-eye flight to Kuala Lumpur, where they will face a Southeast Asian XI on Wednesday. The tour continues with another friendly in Hong Kong on Friday against a representative team from the city.
The club is hoping the two matches will provide a financial boost, with the BBC reporting that the trip could generate around $10 million (£7.8 million). However, tickets were still available for both fixtures as of Monday.
Garnacho, 20, did not feature in the Villa match and his future at United is uncertain. He and his brother had publicly criticised Amorim’s decision to leave him out of the Europa League final, prompting speculation that his time at the club may be coming to an end.
Goalkeeper André Onana and defender Luke Shaw, both of whom also missed the Villa game, were among those who traveled. However, defenders Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui did not make the trip, the club confirmed. Most of the first-team squad is expected to participate in the tour.
The weather could prove challenging, with temperatures in Kuala Lumpur forecast to reach 37°C (99°F), alongside thunderstorms expected on matchday at the 84,000-capacity Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
Similarly, Hong Kong is bracing for high humidity levels nearing 100 percent, with rain and storms also predicted. Friday’s game will be held at the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium, a venue previously criticised for poor pitch conditions. Notably, in 2013, then-Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio described the surface as a “killer pitch” after heavy rainfall disrupted play.
